Chrysanthemum plant named Quiet Eyes

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant. The new plant is characterized by its flat capitulum form, daisy capitulum type, lavender ray floret color, yellow disc floret color graduating to a large green eye, a diameter across the face of capitulum of 8.0 to 10.0 cm, upright to spreading branching pattern with ca. 3-4 breaks after a single pinch, a flowering response of 57 to 63 days from the start of short days, and a plant height for a 6.5 inch (16.5 cm) pot of about 40 cm with 1-2 applications of B-9 at 2500 ppm.

BACKGROUND

1. The Field of the Invention

This invention relates to Chrysanthemum plants. More particularly, the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name "Quiet Eyes."

2. Background of the New Plant

Quiet Eyes, identified as 87.2754, was originated from a cross made by Jack Van Der Knapp in a controlled breeding program at De Lier, Holland in 1986.

The female parent of Quiet Eyes was Pall Mall (non-patented in the United States), and the male parent was Delta (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,815).

Quiet Eyes was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by jack Van Deer Knaap in October of 1987 in a controlled environment at De Lier, Holland.

The first asexual reproduction of Quiet Eyes was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken in December of 1987 in a controlled environment at De Lier, Holland by technicians working under the direction and supervision of Jack Van Der Knaap.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The basic characteristics which have been repeatedly observed in Quiet Eyes and which, in combination, distinguish this Chrysanthemum plant over related known varieties and its antecedents are:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Daisy capitulum type.

3. Lavender ray floret color.

4. Yellow disc floret color graduating to a large green eye.

5. Diameter across face of capitulum 8.0 to 10.0 cm.

6. Branching pattern is upright to spreading with ca. 3-4 breaks after a single pinch.

7. Flowering response is 57 to 63 days from the start of short days.

8. Plant height of a 6.5 inch (16.5 cm) pot is about 40 cm with 1-2 applications of B-9 at 2500 ppm.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successive plantings has shown that the combination of characteristics and distinctions as herein disclosed for Quiet Eyes are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a photographic print in full color showing typical inflorescence and leaf characteristics of Quiet Eyes grown as a pinched spray pot mum with 5 cuttings in a 6.5 inch (16.5 cm) pot, the colors being depicted as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in a color photograph of this character.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

Quiet Eyes has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

The following is a detailed description of Quiet Eyes, with color terminology in accordance with The Royal Horticulture Society Colour Chart, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are obvious. The following observations, measurements and comparisons were made of plants grown at Nipomo, Calif. in controlled environments. Unrooted cuttings were directly stuck into 6.5 inch (16.5 cm) pots and grown in a controlled environment under the natural temperature and day length prevailing during October through December of 1990.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora cv. Quiet Eyes.

Commercial.--Daisy to be grown as a spray pot.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Daisy.

Diameter across face.--8-10 cm when fully opened.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--Lavender pink with a lemon yellow disc graduating to a green eye.

Color.--Front: 75 B. Back: 75 D.

Shape.--Oblong.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color.--Lemon Yellow 1 A. Graduating to a large green eye of 143 A.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present on disc florets only; insignificant.

Gynoecium.--Present on both ray and disc florets; insignificant.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--When grown in 6.5 inch (16.5 cm) pots with 1-2 applications of B-9, the total plant height including the pot will be ca. 40 cm.

Branching pattern.--Upright to spreading with 3-4 breaks after the pinch.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--147 A.

Color (lower surface).--147 B.

Shape.--See FIG. 1 Up to 10 cm long. Up to 5.5 cm wide.

Quiet Eyes can be well distinguished from other commercial Chrysanthemum cultivars, including Autumn Eyes (U.S. plant patent application Ser. No. 712,334 filed Jun. 7, 1991), Dark Eyes (U.S. plant patent application Ser. No. 712,903 filed Jun. 7, 1991), Definite Eyes (U.S. plant patent application Ser. No. 712,086 filed Jun. 7, 1991), Tara (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,313), and Vibrant Eyes (U.S. plant patent application Ser. No. 712,901 filed Jun. 7, 1991). See in this regard the data presented in Table A hereinafter. Also, the blossom coloration of Quiet Eyes can be readily distinguished from Coral Marble (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,455), Citation (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,623), Nova (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,692), Delta (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,815), Adorn (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,059) and Apto (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,900), as described in the respective U.S. Plant Patents.

Similar traits to the other above-mentioned "Eye" varieties are capitulum form, branching pattern, and the distinctly contrasting center of the disc. However, each "Eye" variety varies in color of the disc and ray florets, making each a unique and different cultivar.

Similar traits to Tara are capitulum form, and breaks/pinch. Quiet Eyes, generally has more disc florets and more ray florets per flower, and the ray florets are generally longer by an average of 1 cm. Quiet Eyes is approximately 4-7 days slower, and has fewer flowers per break than Tara. The coloration of the petals is very different between Tara and Quiet Eyes.

                  TABLE A                                                          ______________________________________                                         Characteristic                                                                          Autumn Eyes Dark Eyes   Definite Eyes                                 ______________________________________                                         capitulum                                                                               flat        flat        flat                                          form                                                                           capitulum                                                                               anemone     anemone     anemone                                       type                                                                           diameter ca. 3.4 cm  ca. 3.5-6.0 cm                                                                             4.0-7.0 cm                                    across face                                                                    branching                                                                               upright     spreading   upright and                                   pattern                          spreading                                     breaks/pinch                                                                            ca. 4.0     4-7         3-5                                           height in 6.5                                                                           30-40 cm    ca. 40 cm   40-52 cm                                      in. (16.5 cm)                                                                  pot with 1-2                                                                   applications                                                                   of B-9                                                                         disc floret                                                                             golden 11 A medium      56 C on the                                   color    tipped with lavender 75 C                                                                              outer petals                                           dark maroon 59                                                                             graduating to                                                                              graduating to a                                        A; eye is dark                                                                             a very dark eye                                                                            dark purple                                            maroon 59 A of 77 A; tube                                                                              eye of 59 A                                                        75 C                                                      no. disc ca. 171     ca. 145     ca. 255                                       florets                                                                        length disc                                                                             ca. 1.0 cm long                                                                            1.0-1.5 cm long                                                                            up to 2 cm long                               florets                                                                        ray floret                                                                              front: golden                                                                              front: 75 C front: 69 D                                   color    yellow 11 A back: 75 C with                                                                            back: some 70 C                                        back: pale  a 77 B stripe                                                      yellow 11 B down the center                                           no. ray  ca. 22      24-27       average of 27.3                               florets                                                                        shape ray                                                                               oblong with oblong with elliptic                                      florets  rounded to flat                                                                            rounded tip                                                        tip                                                                   length ray                                                                              1.0-1.5 cm long                                                                            up to 2.5 cm                                                                               up to 4 cm long                               florets              long                                                      width ray                                                                               0.3-0.5 cm wide                                                                            up to 0.75 cm                                                                              up to 1.0 cm                                  florets              wide        wide                                          no. flowers/                                                                            ca. 9.6     average of 5.16                                                                            average of 5.3                                break                                                                          leaf     front: 147 A                                                                               front: 147 A                                                                               front: 147 A                                  color    back: 147 B back: 147 B back: 147 B                                   leaf length                                                                             ca. 7.5 cm long                                                                            up to 8 cm long                                                                            up to 6 cm long                               leaf width                                                                              ca. 5.0 cm wide                                                                            up to 4.5 cm                                                                               up to 4 cm wide                                                    wide                                                      response time                                                                           8.5 weeks   8.5 weeks   8.5 weeks                                     ______________________________________                                         Characteristic                                                                          Quiet Eyes  Tara        Vibrant Eyes                                  ______________________________________                                         capitulum                                                                               flat        flat        flat fresh;                                   form                             puffy rounded                                                                  old                                           capitulum                                                                               daisy       anemone     anemone                                       type                                                                           diameter 8-10 cm     5.0-6.5 cm  3-4 cm                                        across face                                                                    branching                                                                               spreading   spreading   upright to                                    pattern                          spreading                                     breaks/pinch                                                                            3-4         3-5         4-5                                           height in 6.5                                                                           ca. 40 cm   ca. 37 cm   42-52 cm                                      in. (16.5 cm)                                                                  pot with 1-2                                                                   applications                                                                   of B-9                                                                         disc floret                                                                             lemon yellow                                                                               lemon yellow                                                                               from 155 D                                    color    1 A graduating                                                                             10 A        graduating                                             to a large              toward a dark                                          green eye of            purple eye of                                          143 A                   77 A                                          no. disc ca. 200     70-120      ca. 125                                       florets                                                                        length disc                                                                             1.3 cm long up to 1.5 cm                                                                               ca. 1 cm long                                 florets              long                                                      ray floret                                                                              front: 75 B front: 155 A                                                                               light pink to                                 color    back: 75 D  back: 155 D white;                                                                         front: 155 A                                                                   back: 155 B                                                                    bright green                                                                   ovary                                         no. ray  20-24       15-17       ca. 22                                        florets                                                                        shape ray                                                                               oblong      elliptic    oval with                                     florets                          rounded tip                                   length ray                                                                              up to 4 cm long                                                                            up to 3 cm long                                                                            up to 1.7 cm                                  florets                          long                                          width ray                                                                               up to 1.5 cm                                                                               up to 1 cm wide                                                                            up to 0.5 cm                                  florets  wide                    wide                                          no. flowers/                                                                            ca. 5.2     ca. 11.3    ca. 8.4                                       break                                                                          leaf color                                                                              front: 147 A                                                                               front: 147 A                                                                               front: 147 A                                           back: 147 B back: 147 B back: 147 B                                   leaf length                                                                             up to 10 cm up to 9 cm long                                                                            up to 5.0 cm                                           long                    long                                          leaf width                                                                              up to 5.5 cm                                                                               up to 5 cm wide                                                                            up to 3.0 cm                                           wide                    wide                                          response time                                                                           8.2 weeks   8.0 weeks   8.0 weeks                                     ______________________________________                                     

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant, substantially as herein described and illustrated. 